NEW BREMEN - New Bremen Local Schools district voters likely will see a
new continuing operating levy not to exceed 6.3 mills on the Nov. 4 election ballot.
Board members voted unanimously at a Thursday night meeting to declare
a levy necessary and will request the Auglaize County auditor to certify total current tax
valuation of the district and provide a dollar amount to be generated by the tax. Then
board members will determine the exact millage.
Superintendent Larry Smith declined to say how much a 6.3-mill levy
would bring in, pending the auditor certification. Since board members are proposing a
continuing levy, it never expires and becomes permanent.
The levy is needed, board members say, due to two consecutive years of
deficit spending of more than $660,000 coupled with state budget cuts during the next two
years of $260,000. School officials project a deficit balance by fiscal year 2006.
Board member Steve McDermitt noted that it's been 11 years since the
district saw a new levy on the ballot.
"I believe this shows we've managed our funds very well," he
said.
New Bremen resident Tim Eiting will chair the community levy campaign
under the slogan: "Great schools = great communities. Together let's continue the
success."
Eiting and McDermitt invited district residents interested in helping
with the campaign to contact them at 419-629-3478 and 419-629-2479, respectively.
At the August meeting the board expects to finalize the procedure to
place the levy on the November ballot.
The district purse took an unexpected hit last month of an additional
$85,500 due to Auglaize County Educational Service Center for special education services
during the past school year, this amount is above the $170,000 due for general service
from the ESC.
The district has four elementary autistic students among other special
needs students; thus, ESC provided a full-time teacher and two aides exclusively to New
Bremen.
For comparison, Smith told the board private contract schooling for
autistic children totals about $45,000 per year per child.
The board approved an increase in athletic ticket prices for the coming
school year.
Adult reserved seating for football will be $26, up $1, and general
adult admission for volleyball, $22.50, up $4.50.
Reserved seating for boys basketball will be $52 per adult and adults
will pay $64 for a winter sports pass. Family winter sports passes will be $140 each.
A senior citizen's pass for all home games throughout the school year
will be $25 per person as it was last year.